Columbia Board May Take 6 Months on Job

PAUL RECER

Published 7:00 pm, Tuesday, February 25, 2003

AP Science Writer

The head of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board told lawmakers Wednesday it may take six months to learn all the factors involved in the space shuttle's destruction but any information on the direct cause will be released as soon as it is discovered.

Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, chairman of the House Science Committee, said the board is still uncertain what caused Columbia to break apart over Texas on Feb. 1. A number of theories are still under consideration, said Boehlert, who met with retired Adm. Harold Gehman Jr., head of the investigation panel.

"They are not jumping to any conclusions," said Boehlert, R-N.Y.,

Boehlert said Gehman estimated that completing the investigation will take two months to six months, but that the cause of the accident may be found earlier.

He quoted Gehman as saying, "If we can find out what went wrong that will be released immediately." This would enable NASA to start fixing the problems and allow the other space shuttles to fly sooner, Boehlert said.

The accident board plans to review the management policies and engineering decisions that may have affected Columbia's safety.

"They're going back and have a hard look at the assumptions that NASA has made over the years" about the safety of the space shuttle, said Boehlert.

He said he was satisfied that the Gehman board is completely independent of NASA and will become more so as members are added. The 10-person board is expected to announce appointment of new members within a week, Boehlert said.

He quoted Gehman as saying: "I am independent and will remain that way."

Boehlert said a video tape compiled by board investigators, using clips from a number of sources, suggests that Columbia began disintegrating far to the west of Texas.

"The orbiter was shedding debris much earlier than previously believed," said Boehlert.

A second lawmaker in the meeting, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, said Gehman showed a video and presented graphics of the Columbia's final moments.

"The thing that grabbed me the most was _ as Admiral Gehman pointed out _ that the crew almost made it home," said Rohrabacher, R-Calif. "They had already passed the time of maximum heat. They were so close and they just didn't make it."

Gehman is determined to release important data as the board discovers it and will keep the investigation "a very public process," said Boehlert.

He said this is in direct contrast to the Rogers Commission that investigated the 1986 Challenger accident. That panel kept everything secret until the report was issued, Boehlert said.